At a glance
This policy covers the current Podback iPhone app, including development and TestFlight builds. Podback is provided by Atelier Advani LLC, an independent software studio in New York.
- Your library and saved conversations are stored on your device. There is no Atelier Advani account or studio-operated service storing your library.
- Podcast discovery and delivery contact Apple and podcast providers.
- AI features can send voice, transcript text, episode details, and questions to OpenAI. Personal-key builds connect directly; TestFlight builds with included AI access use Atelier Advani’s server. Some topic and chapter generation happens without starting a conversation.
- Usage analytics sends counts, timings and feature use to PostHog for Atelier Advani. You can turn it off in Settings → Privacy.
- Video features contact YouTube and Google. Those services have their own privacy policies.
- We receive support information you send and beta-testing information Apple shares through TestFlight. We do not sell personal information or include SDKs for cross-app advertising tracking in Podback.
Information on your device
Podback stores subscriptions, episode details, playback positions, queue and download settings, downloaded media, transcripts, generated topics and chapters, saved conversation text, ratings, and local diagnostic information on your phone. It uses this information to play episodes, maintain your library, provide episode context, and let you return to a conversation.
Your OpenAI key and private-feed credentials are stored in the iOS Keychain. Importing an OPML file reads the subscriptions from the file you choose and contacts their feed providers. We do not receive your OPML file.
When a publisher does not supply a transcript, Podback can transcribe downloaded episode audio using Apple’s on-device speech tools. This transcription does not upload the episode audio to Atelier Advani or OpenAI. Transcript text may later be sent for AI features, as described below. Device backups you enable are governed by your backup provider’s settings and policies.
Microphone and voice commands
Podback requests microphone permission so you can talk to the companion. During a conversation, microphone audio is sent to OpenAI for processing, transcription, and a spoken response, through Atelier Advani’s server in TestFlight builds with included AI access. Text from the exchange is saved in the episode’s notebook, and recognized speech may appear in the local diagnostic log.
When Listen for “wait” is enabled and your audio route supports it, the microphone can remain open during playback to recognize commands on the device. Setup enables this feature after you allow microphone access. Command recognition runs locally; starting a conversation begins the AI voice exchange.
Turn off Listen for “wait” in Podback’s Settings to disable that hands-free listening, or revoke microphone permission in iPhone Settings. Ordinary podcast playback works without microphone permission.
AI features and OpenAI
In builds that use your own OpenAI API key, AI requests connect directly from your device to OpenAI and are associated with your OpenAI API account. The key authenticates those requests and is not sent to Atelier Advani.
TestFlight builds with included AI access instead send requests through
podback-api.atelieradvani.com, operated by Atelier Advani on Amazon Web
Services, and then to OpenAI using the studio’s API account. You do not provide
an OpenAI key in these builds. This server processes conversation audio, questions,
transcript context, and responses in transit; it does not save their content or
your library to its database or application logs.
The beta build includes access to the testing server without an Apple account sign-in. It sends a random installation identifier with its requests. The server hashes that identifier, stores daily request and voice-session counts to enforce testing limits, and sends the hashed identifier to OpenAI for abuse prevention. The identifier is pseudonymous, not anonymous. Usage records older than seven days are removed as requests are processed. Network infrastructure and service providers also receive connection information needed to operate and secure the service.
- Conversations send your voice, episode details, playback context, relevant transcript text from what you have heard, and relevant conversation history so the companion can answer in context.
- Web lookups send the question, the claim being checked when applicable, and the show name to OpenAI’s web-search service. Search queries may be handled by its search providers.
- For episodes without published chapters, topic generation uses an on-device model when available. If it is unavailable or fails, OpenAI can process transcript windows through the AI access available in your build. With Write chapters enabled, a completed transcript can be processed across the whole episode, including portions you have not yet heard. Write chapters is on by default.
In TestFlight builds with included AI access, OpenAI features are off until you choose Allow OpenAI. The permission screen is available during setup, when you tap Ask, and in Settings → Privacy → OpenAI features. This choice covers conversations, web lookups, and hosted topics and chapters. You can keep playing podcasts without allowing these features.
Choose Turn off OpenAI on that screen to withdraw permission. This stops new sharing through the testing service and cancels active voice and text requests; it does not erase information already processed by service providers. Features that work entirely on the device and published chapters remain available.
Once OpenAI features are enabled, background requests can occur during listening without tapping Ask. Turning off Write chapters limits advance chapter generation but does not disable topic generation during listening. In personal-key builds, remove your key in Settings → OpenAI key → Remove the key to stop OpenAI features. Microphone permission and chapter settings are separate controls: denying the microphone alone does not prevent transcript-based AI requests.
Subscriber feed addresses are protected and redacted from AI context, but the content of a private episode may still be included in transcript context. Use these features only with content you are comfortable sending to OpenAI.
OpenAI states that API content is not used to train its models unless you opt in to share it. OpenAI may retain content and operational information for abuse monitoring and service functionality; standard abuse-monitoring retention is up to 30 days, with exceptions described in its documentation. Podback’s standalone text requests disable saved Responses, but that does not disable abuse-monitoring retention. Retention also depends on the feature and the API account’s controls; TestFlight requests use the studio’s account. Removing information from Podback does not remove copies already processed by OpenAI. See OpenAI’s API data controls.
In personal-key builds, if you change the server addresses in Advanced settings, requests and credentials for those features go to the service you configure. Its handling of information is governed by its own policies.
Podcast, Apple, and video services
Searching for a show by name sends the search text to Apple’s iTunes podcast directory. Reading feeds, downloading or streaming episodes, and loading artwork, transcripts, or published chapters contacts the providers hosting that content. Those providers receive the request, your IP address, and ordinary connection information, and may use them for delivery, security, or their own analytics.
Private feed requests include the subscriber address or credentials needed by the publisher. Treat these addresses like passwords. Podback does not send a pasted feed address to Apple’s directory as a search query.
Using video discovery or playback contacts Google and YouTube for video metadata and the embedded player. They may receive video identifiers, playback activity, device or browser identifiers, IP addresses and approximate location derived from them, advertising interactions, and technical diagnostics under their own policies. These services use information for video delivery, security, analytics, and advertising.
Podback uses YouTube’s privacy-enhanced embedded player and keeps its website storage in memory for the player’s lifetime. YouTube says embedded views in this mode are not used to personalize your YouTube experience or ads outside the app, and any ads shown in the player are non-personalized. This mode still sends information to YouTube and can use temporary cookies or similar storage. See YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode. Links opened outside the player follow the destination’s privacy practices.
Podback uses YouTube API Services. Using its YouTube features is subject to YouTube’s Terms of Service
See Apple’s privacy policy and Google’s privacy policy. Podcast providers publish their own policies. Providers may process information in the United States and other countries where they operate.
Usage analytics
Release and TestFlight builds send product analytics to Atelier Advani’s PostHog project in the United States to help us understand what is useful and improve reliability. Share usage analytics is on by default; turn it off in Settings → Privacy to stop new collection. This choice is separate from microphone permission and the permission for OpenAI features.
Events include library, queue and download counts; listening time and episode completion; setup, discovery and feature use; answer ratings; coarse error categories; playback and answer timings; numeric AI usage and estimated costs; and app version, build, device model and OS version. A random installation identifier connects events from the same installation. Show, episode and saved exchange identifiers are transformed with an installation-specific key, so they cannot be matched across installations or read as podcast addresses. These identifiers are pseudonymous, not a guarantee of anonymity.
These events do not include podcast titles, feed or media addresses, search text, transcript or conversation text, recordings, API keys, emails, or Apple transaction identifiers. Automatic screen capture, session replay, person profiles, location enrichment and automatic exception uploads are disabled. The project discards client IP addresses from stored events, although PostHog receives connection information in transit to operate its service. See PostHog’s privacy policy.
Turning analytics off removes its pending local queue and resets the local identifier. It does not recall requests already in flight or erase events already received. Analytics is retained only as long as needed to evaluate testing, improve the app and meet legal obligations. Contact us with privacy requests; because no contact profile is attached to these events, we may need additional information to locate an installation’s records. We do not use these analytics for advertising or sell the information.
Support, diagnostics, and TestFlight
When you email us, we receive your email address, message, and any attachments you choose to send. Mail is hosted by Google Workspace. We use support information to respond, investigate problems, and improve Podback.
Podback keeps a rolling diagnostic log locally. Settings → Send feedback creates a conversation-statistics file and a log for you to share. These can contain episode information, timestamps, conversation timings and ratings, technical details, and the words you spoke. The export excludes the stored API key and redacts private feed URLs. Review it before sending: we receive these files only if you choose to share them with us.
If you install a beta through TestFlight, Apple automatically collects and shares crash and usage information with us. It can also share feedback, screenshots, device and app details, and tester contact information, depending on how you were invited and what you submit. We use this information to test and improve Podback. See TestFlight & Privacy.
We keep support correspondence, shared diagnostics, and beta-testing information only as long as needed to address the issue, support the app, or meet legal obligations. We do not add you to a mailing list or use this information for advertising.
Retention, deletion, and your choices
Local library records and saved conversations remain on your device until removed through app or device controls. Downloaded audio can be deleted independently; deleting a download does not delete conversation history. Local diagnostic logs rotate as they fill.
Deleting Podback removes its local app data, but Keychain items and device backups may remain. Before removing the app, use Remove the key to delete its saved OpenAI key and unsubscribe from private feeds to remove their saved credentials. You can also revoke the API key through your OpenAI account. Manage backups separately with your backup provider.
The video player’s temporary website data is discarded when its in-memory data store is released; it is not saved as persistent browser storage by Podback.
There is no Atelier Advani account to close. Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, export, or delete information we hold, or to object to or restrict its use. Email us to make a request concerning support or beta-testing information. For information held by Apple, OpenAI, Google, or a podcast provider, their privacy controls and policies also apply.
Children
Podback is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent personal information to us, contact us so we can address it. Third-party services have their own age requirements.
Changes and contact
We will update this policy and its effective date when Podback’s data practices change. Material changes will be explained in the app or release information.
For privacy questions or requests, contact Atelier Advani LLC at raj@atelieradvani.com, or write to 418 Broadway, Ste N, Albany, NY 12207, United States.
The Atelier Advani privacy policy covers the studio’s own website and its other applications. For help using Podback, see Podback Support.